Brake-shoe



(No Model.)

W. LAWRENCE. BRAKE SHOE.

Patented July 15, 1890 f mlm m. Lime/(.

W u fb UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.,

BRAKE-SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 432,277, dated July 15,1890. Application fuea'nay 12, 1890.. seriale. 351.367. memorial.)

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vorcester, in the county of lVorcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBrake-Shoes; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which, in connection with the drawingsmaking a part of this specification, will enable others skilled in theart to which my invention belongs to make and use the same. Y

My invention relates to brake-slices adapted especially to be applied tohorse and electric street-railway ears for engaging the trackrail to actas an emergency brake.

The object of my invention is to provide a strong, durable, andeffective brake-shoe to be used on cars for engaging the track-rail andchecking the speed of the car and holding the same on steep grades andon slippery and icy track-rails, where the I ordinary wheelbrakes willnot be effectiveand will not prevent the wheels from sliding upon thetracks.

My invention consists in certain novel featu rcs of construction an dloperation of a brakeshoe, as will be hereinafter fully described, andthe nature thereof indicated by the claims.

My invention relates simply to the brakeshoe proper, which may beattached to a car in any ordinary or well-known way.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my invention,showing the brake-shoe attached to a car and provided with means foroperating the same. Fig. 2 represents, on a much enlarged scale, acentral longitudinal 'section of the brake-shoe shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3is a plan view of the brake-shoe with the cap-piece and l1oldingsections removed. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross.-` section taken at line a'0c, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents, on a reduced scale, a perspective View ofthe several parts of the brake-shoe detached from each other.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown in Fig. 1 my improvedbrakeshoe attached to a car-frame and .provided with means for operatingthe same to canse said brake-shoeito engage the track-rail and to bedisengaged therefrom.

The means for operating the brake-slice shown are fully described andset forth in Letters Patent of the United States, granted ,to G. O.Kane, No. 396,876, and therefore it is not necessary to describe thesame herein, as I make no claim to said means for operating thebrake-shoe, but have simply shown .the same to more fully illustrate thenature and application of my invention. Any other manner of attaching mybrake-shoe to the car and any other means for operating the same may beused, if preferred.

Referring now to the brakeshoe itself of my invention, l is the frame,preferably made of cast metal and of the shape and form shown in thedrawings.' The frame l consists of the two sides 2, connected togetherby diagonal crosspieces 3, and having open diagonal slots 4 extendingbetween said cross-pieces 3. The sides 2 have at each end anupwardlyextending ear or projection 2', provided with a vertical slot 5therein. The central portions of the sides 2 are preferably made thickerand provided with upwardly-extending double ears or projections (i, eachear having a hole 7 therein. Vedge-shaped adjustable and removableholding-scctions Sof metal are eombined with the frame l by fitting thesame into the diagonal slots 4, The lower edges of said sections Sextend below the lower surface of the frame l, and are prevented frompassing through said slots by reason of the upper part of said sections8 being made wider than the lengths of the slots 4. (See Fig. 4.)

The holding-sections 8 at cach end of the brake-slice are preferablyrounded on their lower edge, as shown in Fig. 2, and the extreme endsections 8 are made a little shorter.

The removable sections Sin the central part of the brake-shoe are madesquare upon their lower edges. (See Fig. 2.) After the removablesections S have been inserted in the slots 4 of frame l of thebrake-shoe the block or cap-piece 9, preferably made of the shape shownin the drawings, is placed between the sides 2 of the frame l andextends over the upper edges ofthe removable sections S, as shown-inFigs. 2 and 4.

The ends of the cap-piece 9 fit against the inner side of the ears 2',and thus any longi tudinal motion of said cap-piece is prevented. Therods 10, which extend through vthe holes IOO 7 of the ears G, which rodsare preferably pro vided with bushings Il, as shown in Fig. 2, serve tohold down the cap-piece 9 and retain the removable sections 8 in theirproper positions in the frame l.

The brake-shoe is connected with the toggle arrangement shown in Fig. lby thearms 12, pivoted at their lower ends in the slots 5 ot thebrake-shoe, and by the arms 13, pivoted at their lower ends to the rodsl0, extending through the holes 7 in the ears 6 of the brakeshoe.

The advantages of my improved brake-shoe will be readily appreciated bythose skilled in the art. Byplaeing the holding-sections 8 at an angleso that they will extend diagonally across the track-rail I cause themto push oft from the track any snow, ice, or other material thereon, andat the same time I present a greater bearing-surface to the rail; and,further, by making the holding-sections 8 ad justable and removable fromthe frame l, I can substitute new holding-sections,when the old onesbecome worn from constant use, by simply removing the cap-piece i).

It will be understood that the details of con struction of the dillerentparts ot my improved brake-shoe may be varied from what is shown anddescribed, if desired.

It is not necessary to make the holding-scetions 8 wedge-shaped, andinstead of the cap 9 other means may be employed for holding thesections S. in the slots 4.

Having thus described my invention, what. I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. As an improved article of manufacture, a brake-shoe consisting of aframe provided with diagonal slots therein and having wedgeshapedremovable sections extending through said slots and held in placetherein, substantially as set forth.

2. In a brake-shoe, t-he eombinatiomwith the frame having diagonal slotstherein, ot sections extending through said slots for engaging thetrack-rail with their lower surface, substantially as set forth.

3. In a brake-shoe, the combination, with the frame having diagonalslots therein, of removable sections extending through said slots, andmeans for holding said sections in said slots, substantially as setforth.

4. In a brake-shoe, the combination, with the frame adapted to beattached to the operating mechanism and provided with diagonal slots inthe bottom thereof, of adjustable and removable wedgeshaped sectionsadaptcd to extend through said slots, and to cX- tend diagonally acrossthe rail-track to cngage the same with their lower edges, and means forholding said sections in said slots, substantially as set forth.

NVILLIAM LAWRENCE.

d'itnessesz JOHN C. DEWEY,

EDMUND F. SEYMoUn.

